Challenges for the JAEA KMS; Fostering inventive design and problem solving

Makino, Hitoshi ; Hioki, Kazumasa ; Umeki, Hiroyuki; Tachibana, Shoko*; Takase, Hiroyasu*; McKinley, I. G.*

The JAEA Knowledge Management System (KMS) is being developed to be flexible and able to respond to potential changes of boundary conditions. On a shorter timescale, the KMS must encourage flexibility in the methodology used for carrying out and presenting performance assessments. This is closely linked to development of advanced repository concepts; considering the requirements for a safe and practical repository tailored to specific site conditions, which reflects evolving technology. These coupled development tasks were, in the past, carried out by expert teams in a rather informal manner. As the technical challenges increase - and the need for transparency is accepted - a more formal method of developing innovative design solutions is needed. A knowledge engineering approach (TRIZ) that is used in other financial and industrial applications has thus been tested for its usefulness for such tasks.